Chapter 16: Lasting Scars

Months passed. For a week, no one could stop talking about the attack of the giant. Everyone was curious to figure out who this demigod was, the one that had been picked up along the quest, and who had practically taken out a giant single-handedly. It took a few days before Percy had recovered from the lightning blast enough to leave the infirmary. When he did, he was mobbed by half-bloods asking questions.

Months passed. The campers grew to know Percy, and they welcomed him in as part of their family. Percy had finally found a place where he really belonged. He began to make friends, and became an alternate Chiron among the camp. He taught a lot of kids sword-fighting, and started his own weapons class which ranged from javelins to daggers.

The conch horn rang out, signaling for dinner. Percy caught the handle of an axe, holding it away from him. The kid holding it let go, and they all looked up the hill towards the dining pavilion. "Alright, that is the dinner bell. Thing." Percy said, stating the obvious. "I will see the rest of you tomorrow. And John…" A young boy, maybe thirteen, turned back. "I'll see you early tomorrow morning. Practice for that dirk of yours." John nodded, smiling slightly, before running off. The rest disappeared after him. Percy stayed behind to help clean up the arena.

He grabbed the few swords and axes littering the ground and went to hang them on the rack. Then he went to the targets, which were currently pin-cushioned with javelins. He wrenched them out one by one and set them on the wall. He cast an apologetic look at the targets. "Must suck to be one of those things." He muttered to himself.

"I agree." Someone said. Percy turned to see Chiron entering the arena.

"Chiron? What are you doing? Shouldn't you be in the pavilion?" Percy asked.

"I could say the same about you." Chiron said. "Percy, I have bad news."

Percy's brows knotted immediately. "What happened?"

"It's Daedalus." Chiron said sadly. "He's…gone."

Percy's mind went numb. Chiron must've been wrong. Daedalus couldn't have died. He-he was perfectly healthy when Percy last checked. How could this have happened?

"W-what?" Percy asked.

"A friend of mine found him in the workshop. He was…he had been murdered." Chiron said quietly.

"Who?" Percy asked.

"We don't know, but who, or what, ever it was, it was good. His body had been torn apart." Chiron said, pain evident in his voice. Percy tried to say something, but there was lump in his throat that stopped him from speaking. He stood there, staring at Chiron but not seeing him.

"I…I need…some time for myself." Percy said, and suddenly he ran. He barreled towards the forest, leaving camp behind. He kept his head lowered and crashed through the bushes, bouncing off trees. Tears pooled in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. The setting sun illuminated his path, but it fell, and the moon rose in the sky. And still Percy kept running.

He didn't know how long it had been, but Percy stopped for some reason and he realized he was at Zeus's fist. The small clearing was dimly illuminated by the moonlight. Percy clambered over the boulders and sat down at the top. He looked into the sky, but not at the gods. Off past the stars, to the great unknown. The tears slowly dried up, but he didn't move. He just sat there for a long, long time.

He realized then that he wasn't alone. He got slowly to his feet, and without turning around, he said, "I'm surprised you lived."

He heard a clicking sound behind him, and an all-too-familiar voice said, "You shouldn't be. I've survived much worse."

Percy smiled in contempt. "I really shouldn't," he said, turning around, "given the company you choose." He came face-to-face with Luke, the demigod who he had killed at the Wolf House. And even better, Luke had a gun. Pointed right at Percy.

"You have a point there, Percy." Luke said, grinning. "I've been looking forward to this ever since you snapped my neck. Do you know what excruciating pain you put me through? The process I went through to get back here…well, let's just say I'll have some lasting scars."

"You're not the only one." Percy said. "And I have no doubt you're just itching to pull that trigger. So why haven't you yet?"

"Partially because I want you to know who killed you, and how. Also because I want you to know exactly how your poor, old, mentor Daedalus died." Luke's smile was cruel, malicious. Percy very went to rip his head off right then. "I took great pleasure in tearing him to pieces, limb by limb. It was very…refreshing." He watched Percy for a reaction.

Percy snarled in rage and went into a move that would get the gun from Luke's hand. He grabbed his wrist and spun, twisting his hand and elbowing him in the ribs. Or at least, he tried to. Luke did something that ended up almost throwing Percy from the top of Zeus's fist. And he kept a hold on the gun. "Nice try, but that isn't going to work." Luke said.

Percy straightened, wincing and feeling his battered ribcage. "But also…" Luke continued. "I wanted to explain some things to you. I want you to know the truth, and the doom that your friends will endure. And you will know how you failed them, and what you left them to. And it will haunt you forever in the Underworld until even that is destroyed and remodeled."

"Why did you do it, Luke?" Percy asked quietly. "You had a family here. Your father-."

"My father!" Luke snarled. "What do you know about my father?" Percy winced.

"I know he is Hermes, and-."

He stopped when he saw Luke laughing. "Oh, Percy. Are you really that stupid? Hermes isn't my father. He never was."

"What?" Percy exclaimed.

"I didn't join up with Gaia because I hated the gods." Luke stopped, reconsidering that statement. "Well, partially. But the main reason is...I joined up with family." Percy's eyes widened.

"My grandmother offered me a prime place in her army, and a new world. I accepted. So, have you pieced together who my father is yet?"

"A titan." Percy breathed.

"Not just any titan. Hyperion." Luke sneered. "Lord of the east. I rejected my family for awhile, because I didn't agree with their ways. But Lycaon was the last straw. I'm with them now. And far, far stronger than I ever could be with you."

"So what now?" Percy asked. "Kill me. I dare you." His stomach was writhing, butterflies doing aerials and triple flips. But he didn't let it show. "We will stop you."

"Really? You are the only reason this pathetic camp survived Enceladus, and he is only the first of many to come. Porphyrion himself is at large, and you will all fall. Without Percy, their knight in shining armor, Gaia's rise will be unopposed. You're camp will die. An army marches on them now, and soon, they will eradicate this camp from the face of the earth." He shook his head slowly. "I'd say I'm sorry, Percy, but that would be lying."

Percy stared him down, not letting his fear show. Luke raised the gun, pointing it at Percy's head.

Percy closed his eyes.

And Luke pulled the trigger.

A.N.: Before you guys go for the rotten vegetable and rocket launchers and come marching to my house to kill me in a rage, read this. This story is NOT over. I'm honestly only halfway finished with it. There is a lot more that's going on that will come later. So just stick with me. Trust me on this one. It gets really good.

Now that I got that out of the way: Hey everybody! As I was looking over chapter 15 (after I posted it) I realized that I hadn't responded to your amazing reviews. So I'm going to respond for both chapters.

the things that define you: Well thank you! I did work really hard on this. Actually, it's kind of funny, I had the chapter finished a day after I posted chapter 13, but I made myself wait to update. And yeah, I am back. I'm glad you liked Percy ticking off Zeus I liked that idea too. And I made Enceladus like that because…well I don't really know

Thatonekidnobodylikes: I happen to pride myself on being able to write a good fight. That sounded weird. And you were right about Luke (as you can probably tell). On chapter 15, I'm glad you liked it!

EpicReads: I feel flattered. I'm guessing you really enjoyed the chapter. Towards Hera: she didn't like him all that much, but he saved her, and she was nice for that. Percy was nice because a) he didn't want to get killed after all that, and b) he was tired as mess. And as to why he appeared at the Demeter table- no idea. Just picked Demeter.

HarmonicBunny: If you want it to, then sure, go ahead.

So, once again, thank you guys for reading, please don't give up on the story. I can't spoil anything, but just come back when I next post. And please, review. I really want and need to know what you guys think.

READ ON!